This translation is from the New American Bible. The bolded hyperlinks will take you to additional translations and to collections of scriptures addressing the same principles. The other, italicized, hyperlinks will take you to explanations of the original Greek words. Text highlighted in yellow tells us something about God’s nature or our relationship to Him. Text in green tells us about something God wants us to do. Text in red tells describes what God wants us to avoid. Commentary is in blue.
The LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night. God said, “Ask something of me and I will give it to you.”
Solomon answered: “O LORD, my God, you have made me, your servant, king to succeed my father David; but I am a mere youth, not knowing at all how to act. I serve you in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted. Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong. For who is able to govern this vast people of yours?”
The LORD was pleased that Solomon made this request. So God said to him: “Because you have asked for this— not for a long life for yourself, nor for riches, nor for the life of your enemies, but for understanding so that you may know what is right— I do as you requested. I give you a heart so wise and understanding that there has never been anyone like you up to now, and after you there will come no one to equal you.”
Solomon’s recognition of his inadequacy (“I am a mere youth, not knowing at all how to act”) and God’s exceedingly generous response to his prayer seems to be an example of the dynamic described in today’s Alleluia verse.
Solomon’s prayer embodies the priorities Jesus described in the first two parables in todays gospel: placing God’s Kingdom above our immediate/personal gratification.
Solomon’s prayer shows that he—one of Israel’s most gifted and exalted persons—viewed himself as a servant.
His prayer was for help in discharging his duties as a servant.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 119:57, 72, 76-77, 127-128, 129-130
R. (97a) Lord, I love your commands.
I have said, O LORD, that my part is to keep your words.
The law of your mouth is to me more precious than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
Let your kindness comfort me according to your promise to your servants.
Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
For I love your command more than gold, however fine.
For in all your precepts I go forward; every false way I hate.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
Wonderful are your decrees; therefore I observe them.
The revelation of your words sheds light, giving understanding to the simple.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
I have said, O LORD, that my part is to keep your words.
The law of your mouth is to me more precious than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
Let your kindness comfort me according to your promise to your servants.
Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
For I love your command more than gold, however fine.
For in all your precepts I go forward; every false way I hate.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
Wonderful are your decrees; therefore I observe them.
The revelation of your words sheds light, giving understanding to the simple.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.
For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
And those he predestined he also called; and those he called he also justified; and those he justified he also glorified.
regard the welfare of; affectionate reverence, prompt obedience, grateful recognition of benefits received;to take pleasure in the thing, prize it above other things, be unwilling to abandon it or do without it;to welcome with desire, long for.
This conception of love seems a lot like Solomon’s devotion to serving God in the first reading and the priorities exemplified in the first two parables in today’s gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; for you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; for you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasureburied in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.
"to find," either with previous search, or without; "to find out by enquiry," or "to learn, discover;” in the Middle Voice, "to find for oneself, to procure, get, obtain," with the suggestion of accomplishing the end which had been in view;to come upon, hit upon, to meet with;without previous search, to find (by chance);to find by enquiry, thought, examination, scrutiny, observation, to find out by practice and experience
Regardless of How one comes upon the Kingdom of heaven (by chance or through intentional effort), it is so good that it must become the priority in our lives.
- It is so good that it leads us to get rid of other things to have/participate in it.
Other scriptures addressing this dynamic are collected at Wisdom Principles: We Must Make Real Effort/Sacrifice to Receive All that God Offers, But It Is Well Worth It
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
“Do you understand all these things?” They answered, “Yes.”
And he replied, “Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.”
The law of your mouth is to me more precious than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
Let your kindness comfort me
Let your kindness comfort me
Let your compassion come to me
your law is my delight
Wonderful are your decrees
Wonderful are your decrees
The revelation of your words sheds light, giving understanding to the simple.
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom
The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure
fine pearls.
a pearl of great price
a pearl of great price
collects fish of every kind
your servant
I serve you
your servant
understanding so that you may know what is right
love your commands.
love your commands.
your law is my delight.
love your commands.
I love your command more than gold
love your commands.
your law is my delight.
love your commands.
I love your command more than gold
in all your precepts I go forward
I love your commands.
Wonderful are your decrees; therefore I observe them.
love your commands.
Wonderful are your decrees; therefore I observe them.
love your commands.
love God
called according to his purpose.
be conformed to the image of his Son,
out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
sells all that he has and buys it.
every false way
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